Funky Business: Talent Makes Capital Dance by J. Ridderstrale and K. Nordström

“Evolution is not right or wrong, it just is” (p17). Although this statement seems relatively simple it perfectly reflects the changes that are taking place in today’s work environment, as well as the world in general: We are now living in a world where everything evolves exponentially. A new type of revolution, not a physical one, but the one of knowledge is taking place and things that were considered true yesterday might not be anymore tomorrow. In such a state of uncertainty with intense competition between all parts of the globe, the working environment appears to be extremely hostile. But once someone has acknowledged that, what does he do? How should workers behave in the 21st century to stay competitive, and find their own path through this jungle? Well, this is what funky business is all about.
Funky business is a metaphor for this new environment: Rather than being scared of it, seeing it as a threat, one should actually see it as an opportunity and be ready to embrace it to make the best out of it. Written in a funny way, which makes it extremely pleasant to read, the book is not reluctant to sometimes use crude language if it helps its message to be better understood. This new environment is described throughout the book as the funky village. First, the authors start describing this new world with its new features, as described above, and then they analyze the different forces driving these “funky” changes, which are the huge impact of technology, as well constantly reinventing institutions and evolving values. After this the authors observe the characteristics of the new society, a surplus society, with abundance of products, as well as a real time society in which speed is key. Integrative thinking, meaning the ability to deal with this complex environment in which frontiers between different activities are now blurred, rather than trying to reduce uncertainty in a complacent way is therefore the only way to succeed. What makes this book interesting and relevant is its brand new approach of business. It has a refreshing view of business with a constant focus on human intelligence and creativity. To make this environment, which at first sight is hostile, a funky one you need to constantly upgrade your skills; be different. Therefore a company shouldn’t focus too much on the core aspects of business but pay attention to where it differs from the rest, where it is a step forward compared to competitors. In Gandhi’s words: “Be the change you want to see in the world”. There is an urge for doing alternative business, “funky business”.
A wide array of concepts and theories are used throughout the book to illustrate this need, going from capitalism to communism. However this book is not only theoretical, it also gives the modern worker some useful tools and advices in order to succeed. First of all, a funky company shouldn’t be too diversified, focusing on what you’re the best at is needed nowadays. Nevertheless, in a brain-based world one and the same competence can be used to enter an array of industries. Therefore you need to leverage your skills within the organization, while keeping in mind that being innovative should be the center point of all your actions. At an individual level, adopting a funky behavior means greater flexibility: be ready to change, adapt. This complex world is an opportunity for increased freedom, take advantage of it. Don’t see your work as just a career, make it your life. Put emotion back to work, making your working environment better. In this book there is no promise, and in my opinion this is what makes it so interesting: “I know nothing except of my own ignorance” as Socrates once said. There ain’t such thing as a recipe to success. In a world of perpetual change, being aware of that is crucial. “Questions rather than answers drive the future” (p21): ask smart question to be ahead in the game.
I think that the association of Funk and modern Business is surprisingly relevant: Music is freedom, in which creativity is at the core. But Funk is more than that: it is a state of mind, a philosophy; it is all about happiness and it is centered on the moment being. Furthermore, rhythm is key: being able to adapt to the rest is what makes you successful.
One concept that stroke me the most was the one of “RAID” (Reason, Affection, Intuition, Desire), which are the four ways with which you can communicate with people. Using AID rather than just Reason enables a company to overcome the purely economic rationality, leading to competitive advantage. In a globalized world, which is often seen as dehumanizing, I feel that this new perspective brings optimism and is an important step in improving the working environment.

The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by T. Friedman

The World is Flat is a reflection about the globalization that is taking place nowadays. This topic is indeed not new, and has been debated by many other thinkers before. However, Friedman takes the reflection further, analyzing the causes as well as drawing conclusions on how to deal with it the best way. Being a journalist working for the New York Times, the author uses the many experiences he had throughout the years in order to prove his point. The stories are told in a very personal fashion which makes the book more alive, so that the reader can better identify with the issues the world is presently facing. What makes this book so special is that Friedman warns us of the problems that are lying ahead without being alarmist. He has a rational and objective approach that makes his arguments more striking. He analyses this “flat world” in an extremely clear and scientific way. This expression symbolizes the interrelatedness between all parts of the world that exists nowadays. In an interview, the author stated, that "it is now possible for more people than ever to collaborate and compete in real time with more people on more different kinds of work from more different corners of the planet and on a more equal footing than at any previous time in the history of the world."

First of all, he wonders how such phenomenon could take place. He identifies ten flattening factors, which are the following: the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 11/89; Netscape, that broadened the audience for the internet; work flow software; uploading; outsourcing; offshoring; supply-chaining; insourcing; in-forming (like Google for instance); and what he calls “the steroids”, personal digital devices like the mobile phone for instance. The interrelatedness of all these factors linked to the creation of complementary softwares, as well changes in developing countries like China and India increased this process of globalization. Due to all these changes the environment has drastically evolved making it harder for actors to cope with it. However the fact that the world is flat cannot be ignored, meaning that decisions need to be made in order to adapt and survive in this hostile environment. Friedman believes that protecting oneself from this phenomenon by erecting barriers, although it might have short-term benefits will only result in a country to be left behind and not be able to keep up with the fast pace of globalization. Friedman gives the example of the US, where he believes a quiet crisis is presently taking place. For example, the author mentions Basketball, a sport in which the US does not dominate as much as it did before. Friedman emphasizes the fact that quick actions need to be taken.

How should individuals react to that statement, how can they make the best out of globalization? The solution is to take change as a given and accept it as a fact. Individuals need to create the right environment, focusing on right-brain skills, meaning knowledge and creativity: In short, the things that cannot be replicated by computers. Friedman mentions for instance that skills such as music might have a positive effect on individuals. At the level of companies, innovation is the remedy. Also, in such an environment, they need to act small to get bigger. Focusing on what they can do best, meaning more cooperation and outsourcing, as well as focusing on niche markets will help them cope with increased competition. The author gives the example of Aramex, a small Indian package delivery service company that was able to challenge bigger businesses through an efficient and focused web strategy. The aim is to know yourself better, in order to rationalize your efficiency. The message is that you need to get untouchable in your field, through better education and training, to successfully cope with this new world. Friedman also stresses the role of governments in this difficult task. As we can see, this book challenges a certain number of assumptions and forces individuals to face the changes that are taking place around them, a hard thing to do but a vital one.

An interesting thing about this book is that the author also analyses globalization in a political way. There are two examples that I found especially relevant:

First of all, Friedman believes that a “flat world” can stabilize international relations: Indeed, two companies sharing common interest in a business are less likely to go to war against each other.

Another interesting point is that globalization can both have an enlightening as well as a destructive effect on the world. On one hand, it enhances creativity and the production of wealth. On the other hand, it can also be used by terrorists. The events of 9/11 are most certainly a negative consequence of globalization, since it demonstrates an example of destructive creativity.

How to Change the World - Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas by David Bornstein

“Every change begins with a vision and a decision to take action”. This is what the book is all about. It took Mr. Bornstein more than 5 years to complete his book mainly based on different stories of individuals from all over the world. All these individuals have one thing in common; they all took action in making changes for the greater good. Through out the book, Mr. Bornstein refers to them as social entrepreneurs. These individuals have different backgrounds and work in different fields, from journalists to engineers and from nurses to bankers, yet they are all innovators for the public. He shares with us their amazing yet very difficult paths towards their success stories and the crucial roles that these social entrepreneurs play in our world. The essential message of this book is for the most part a wake up call telling us that major changes need to happen … right now! You don’t need to be an extremely rich or wealthy person to make a positive change in this world. Instead, you need a vision and the willpower to fulfill this vision no matter what obstacles and difficulties you encounter. Essentially, the stories of these social entrepreneurs are reflected to support this message. The stories of Jeroo Billimoria and J.B. Schramm allowed me to have a better understanding of the overall message. Mrs. Billimoria is the founder of the Childline network in India, which offers a 24-hour emergency phone service for children. It’s basically a helpline number that children living on the streets can use for immediate assistance in over 80 cities across the country. The second story is about J.B. Scharamm’s efforts in encouraging young U.S. students in continuing their education since school dropouts are a significant problem in the United States. Therefore, he created a network to help the students get into college by supporting them academically and financially. The short brief sentences about these stories give you an idea that no matter where you’re located, developing or developed country, no matter what problem the society is facing, children on the streets or dropping out of school, there is always a solution. Time is crucial and it assures us that we can’t afford to believe that “someone else will do it”, so who’s up for the task? Are you a social entrepreneur? What are some of the key qualities of social entrepreneurs? That’s what Mr. Bornstein illustrates in his book.

I think that this book completely redefines our traditional way of thinking on how problems should be solved. And unlike the current media this book offers great inspiring stories, not only hopeless ones. I also think that this book is a must read for the 21^st century global leaders because it really gives a clear view on the numerous crucial roles that each leader can take in a world that needs positive changes. Since global leaders and professionals have the power to reorganize the ways of a society, why not reorganizing it while solving current issues and looking ahead towards a better future? And it’s not up to the global leaders only; every single one of us has the possibility to make a change, however most of you, future leaders, have already the great qualities and skills of social entrepreneurs.

In brief, what I learned from this book is that there were and still are a lot of great people who care about the world, refusing to say “someone else will do it”. They fought for their visions and made them realities. And today millions of people, as well as their societies, benefit from the trees of these social entrepreneurs. To be a leader is one thing, but to care for the people you’re leading and even those that you’re not leading is another. The second thing that I learned from this book is that there are associations supporting the fast growing field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka is one of the top agencies that support social entrepreneurs around the globe. So if you have a vision to make this world a better place, don’t let it fade. Take action and ask for support when you need it, because today, we have to change the world. Read the book to have a better understanding on how.

The End of Poverty - Economic Possibilities for Our Time by Jeffrey D. Sachs

What some of us spend on food only in one day exceeds what an African family spends in months. Everyday, more than 15000 human beings are dying not because they can’t afford to live, but because they can’t even afford to survive. Reading the introductory pages of Sachs’ book “The End of Poverty” will undoubtedly break your heart while making you appreciate every single blessing you got. Did you know that 1 person out of 6 human beings lives in extreme poverty with less than $1 per day? You either did or did not know this tragic reality, but now that you have read it, how does it make you feel? This book will not answer this question for you but if you felt something inside and you want to find out if there are any solutions for such extreme issues, then you must read this book. Mr. Sachs offers a detailed understanding of how the world economy has gotten to where it is today and how we can mobilize our capacities over the next two decades to eliminate the extreme poverty that remains.

After the heart-breaking introduction, Mr. Sachs demonstrates the growing success of some countries that were able to shift from extreme poverty to reasonable prosperity. The message of this book is simple, don’t leave these issues to the politicians, we need to make the right changes. No more promises, it’s time to act. And for such thing to happen we need to have greater public understanding about the problems at hand and the numerous solutions. To know there are solutions to the actual problems and hear about the success stories of people, who made actual changes to the world, can encourage and motivate people in making their own change. The public must understand that there are thousands of people dying every single day due to preventable diseases. Why is malaria taking so many kids when it takes only $5 bed nets to prevent thousands of kids from dying every day? With his long years of expertise, Mr. Sachs challenges poverty and clearly demonstrates how we can put an end to it through efficient philanthropic strategies.

The promise of this book is one of peace and prosperity, emphasizing our ability to overcome great challenges simply by opening our hearts and uniting our forces. I encourage every single person to read this book because it is another wake up call that most of us need. Great leaders tend to be great visionaries. For all of you, inspiring to be the next global leaders, remember that Africa remains the center of human disaster. I recommend that you read this book in order to have a better understanding of the magnitude of this disaster. By doing so, I hope that you would be able to integrate these unfortunate issues in your visions to later be part of the solution.

I learned that the United States spends more than $500 billion annually on its military and defense programs when only $15 billion is needed to save the lives of millions of human beings. If Mr. Sachs calculations were proven to be correct, it would only take 1/3 of the U.S. military budget to eliminate extreme global poverty by the year 2025.

However the most important thing I learned through this book is that these victims of extreme poverty need our help to get the first foothold on the ladder. See, if the world was a ladder, fortunate people like us would be on top of it while the victims of extreme poverty would not even be close to the ladder. We don’t need to get them on top of the ladder but we need to help them get the first foothold on it. And from there, they’ll be able to climb on their own. A great example of that would be what the Grameen Bank is doing; giving unfortunate people an opportunity to see a brighter day, by helping them reach the ladder. I will conclude by saying that poverty can be ended and just like Mr. Sachs I will fight for this cause. What about you?

Leadership Without Borders: Successful Strategies from World-Class Leaders, Cohen, 2007

In this book, Ed Cohen addresses what current and future leaders need to know about how to be a successful global leader in today’s world. It addresses the changing marketplace as a result of economic globalization and identifies important trends such as increased web-enabled communication and international travel. Consequently, Cohen describes the important effects that these changes have had on leadership as individuals work internationally and gives suggestions based on them. The motive for writing this book is from Cohen’s personal experience as he wanted to learn how to be successful in his role as head of Satyan School of Leadership when he moved to India. He struggled with the learning curve and realized that the leadership he had used at home no longer worked when emerged with a multinational environment. Therefore, this book is a product of his observations and research on discovering successful world-class leadership. The book consists of two parts; firstly it identifies global leadership competencies and secondly it discusses successful strategies (specific examples) from world-class leaders. The specific global leadership competencies also come from a variety of survey respondents, interviews, best practices, and leader profiles. It also uses personal stories and insight to demonstrate his findings. Several examples of global leaders which he interviewed are Erna Adelson (Sony Electronics) and Siow Choon-Neo (Federal Express Pacific, Inc.).
The emergence of the knowledge economy has changed the role of leaders in a vastly changing business environment which is now heavily multinational. The significance of this book is to identify how to approach being a successful global leader among these changes. For example, the way people work has changed so that working is instantaneous; and how geography is no longer a constraint due to technology. Based on these observations, Cohen advises the reader on how they can realistically approach the business environment of today. The major contribution is demonstrating that major importance of effective leadership and their behaviour. He observes that these world-class leaders are entrepreneurial and innovative and recognizes that the demand for such leaders is increasing. Mainly, it is Cohen’s insight on a leader’s global vision and local implementation which captures a large audience.
One interesting concept was an example of practical implementation of his insights to the workplace. Cohen acknowledges two types of leaders, those that use the best talent and those that develop the best talent. He notes that in order to reduce barriers to success there must be a shift from geographic, market and organizational-specific competencies towards global competencies such as worldview and global business acumen.
Another interesting concept is his discussion surrounding the lack of human connections, that “building sustainable and diverse networks is one of the main challenges leaders face today,” (Cohen). Cohen believes than global leaders can be built if they know how to maximize opportunities when traveling the globe, which will separate them from other leaders.

Strengths-Finder 2.0: Now, Discover Your Strengths, Rath, 2010

Tom Rath’s book is an international bestseller which provides a detailed strengths-finder assessment. This is a new and improved version and it accompanies his online assessment system which belongs to Gallup Inc. This book sends the message that Gallup Inc. supports “Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?” (Benjamin Franklin). Therefore, Rath writes about discovering and uncovering your talents and ultimately gives strategies for applying those strengths in one’s life. This book is a the result of a survey of hundreds of respondents and draws from those responses, 34 strength themes/areas (e.g. achiever, analytical, etc). This reader-friendly book is supposed to be a reference for the reader to use in the future and not just a one-time read (publisher, Gallup Press). It is comprised of a Personalized Strengths Discover and Action-Planning Guide for applying your strengths in the next week month, year and even gives 50 ideas for action. Strengths-Finder 2.0 works at helping individuals find their weaknesses and developing only their strengths.
This book is extremely significant because it recognizes that people are not maximizing the use of their strengths in a world where labour capital is becoming increasingly competitive and diverse. It asks the question, “Do you have the chance to do what you do best every day?” (publisher, Gallup Press). This assessment has become popular globally because it works to understand each individual personally and is customized. This is a product of Tom Rath’s global practice leadership in Gallup’s workplace research and leadership consulting business. Rath’s work is highly significant because it recognizes talents as patterns of thought, feeling, and behaviour and that applying them productively allows one to maximize their personal potential. Another major contribution is that it encourages readers to invest in their talent and that once that is done then one can harness their strength more easily as well.
Firstly, a breakthrough idea is that one assessment can reach out to such a large audience. Rath distributes his message to access all people, those of different cultures, occupations, and even those without management experience. Once again, the idea that everyone should unleash their talents and exploit them is a new concept (especially in some cultures).
Another interesting concept is one which Tom Rath introduces, related to positive psychology as the way to treat weaknesses. Rath measures strengths this way:

Talent x Investment = Strengths

This returns to the significance of investing in talents and consequently creates the desire for individuals to discover their talents and turn them into strengths to apply in their career. This idea has taken off amongst readers and has spread tremendously.

Five Minds For the Future

Harvard Graduate School for Education professor Howard Gardner reveals the Five Minds for the Future that represents the five different frames of mind that will be vital to success in the future. Developing one or more of these mindsets will create the opportunity for success in future for the individual. 

The disciplined mind is one that requires a great deal of focus. This state of mind entails mastering information that pertains to important fields such as math, history, science and arts as well as major professions such as law, management and finance. These fields are very difficult to learn and understand; therefore they take a great deal of learning as well as practice. Due to the abundance of knowledge and information available, these people must have the ability to distinguish the important, relevant information from what is not.

The synthesizing mind is a mind that understands and then interprets. People in this state of mind analyze what they have learnt, gain an in depth understanding of the topic and then communicate it with others when necessary. Once a person has accumulated a sufficient amount of knowledge in their discipline and has properly synthesized it, they must then begin to think in a more abstract manner than the conventional thought process in that field.

The creative mind encourages innovation and alternative means of accomplishing tasks. By taking chances and acknowledging criticism, a person can set themselves up for future achievements. They accept the feedback they receive and use it to build upon their position or aid in a new direction.

In a diverse world containing a vast amount of perspectives, the respectful mind is vital. Gardner consciously distinguishes tolerance from respect. This is the difference between people that merely tolerates the differences of another compared to a person with a real, sincere sense of respect. He further states that encouraging respect amongst students, teacher and the school community will have a positive impact on our future.

The ethical mind is one that reveals itself under all business circumstances. This mindset requires a person to reflect upon their behavior and actions. This state of mind entails creating good quality work while upholding ethical standards, followed by a completion of responsibilities. A person that does not use this frame of mind is more likely to compromise the quality of their work and cut corners to accomplish their task. Both of these outcomes could directly result in unethical behavior.

The model provided by Gardner is very useful for the any businessperson but the business leaders in particular. Asking a leader to balance all five frames of mind optimally could be very difficult. However, if that leader can assume multiple mindsets while acknowledging and appreciating that there are employees that may be of a different frame of mind, that leader will be effective.

In his conclusion, the author recognizes the potential difficulty in developing these frames of mind. The author himself admitts that he was overwhelmed at times. Gardner also does not attempt to impose what he believes are the optimal levels of synthesis to the reader. Alternatively, he chooses to simply provide recommendations. I believe this provides a great deal of credibility, reliability and sincerity. It allowed me to further understand the model as his perspective is very open minded and does not provide too much bias. 

Open Innovation: The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology

Harvard Business school professor Henry W Chesbrough wrote the book titled Open Innovation, catering to the modern business environment. He argues that in today’s business environment that is filled with knowledge and information, companies cannot rely strictly on their own ideas to further their business or maximize innovation. The traditional model for innovation that focuses on internal development is becoming outdated.

To combat the irrelevance of this old model, Chesbrough develops a model called “open innovation”. Through his experiences working in Silicon Valley, compiling field research and academic knowledge, the author attempts to find the balance between the internal and external development of a firm. Internal development can be accomplished through innovation created within the existing work environment. External development can occur with the assistance of sources or research located elsewhere. This balance allows the given firm to use a variety of channels to take their product or service to the market.

Chesbrough fashions his book particularly relevant by using an in depth analysis of the innovation processes of Intel, Lucent, IBM and other major firms. He focuses on the ideas and subsidiaries that have been created as a result of this process.

Chesbrough reveals the benefits of “open innovation” as well as its ability to increase the value of a company’s ideas, research, knowledge and technology. The model exposes particular firms’ uses of R&D, incorporating their managerial and intellectual properties, the optimal means for growing the business and creating a bright future.

This book is extremely relevant for modern day global businesses and their leaders. Businesses striving for the optimal level of efficiency and productivity can use Chesbrough’s model to aid in finding their own balance between internal and external development. The concrete business examples provided by globally successful firms present further illustration to this structure.

The example provided investigating IBM’s shift from closed to open innovation was one that I found particularly interesting. Although costs were incurred, such as the laying off of large numbers of employees, the long-term health of the firm is much more optimistic. In the years following 1945 IBM was responsible for inventing or assisting in the invention (in collaboration with universities such as Columbia University in New York) of some of the world’s most prominent inventions. It was the first firm to manufacture an electronic memory system. Despite the success of this internal development, the company began to realize that if they did not begin to use open innovation, they would not be privy to much of the innovation that was occurring externally. IBM did not want to loose pace, acknowledging the continuous necessity for open and external innovation. Examples such as this make Chesbrough’s model very significant and very applicable.